Friday, July 29, 2011

Filipino Gay Lingo, Churva!

Filipino Gay Lingo, Churva!

"In the Philippines, the term gay has been used loosely to include homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, crossdressers, and effeminate men. Filipino gays are mostly stereotyped as effeminate, crossdressers, hairdressers, camp and ridiculed.

Bakla or Bading, a derogatory Filipino word for gay, is commonly used. Tibo or tomboy has a similar function, and refers to lesbians, usually of the butch and masculine type. A more benign slang word for gay men is billy boy. For Filipino gays, the Tagalog phrase "paglaladlad ng kapa" (literally means "unfurling of the cape") refers to the coming-out process. Although gays and lesbians are generally tolerated within Philippine society, there are still widespread cases of discrimination.

Swardspeak is a vernacular language derived from Englog (English-Tagalog) and is used by a number of gay Filipinos. It uses elements from Tagalog, English, and Spanish, and some are from Nippongo, as well as celebrities' names and signature brands, giving them new meanings in the context of this unique language. A unique trait of swardspeak is that it immediately identifies the speaker as homosexual, making it easy for people of that orientation to signal to each other in a place where such tendencies are not easy to display (ie in the Philippines). This creates an exclusive world among its speakers and helps them to resist cultural assimilation.

By using swardspeak, Filipino gay men are able to resist the dominant culture of their area and create a space of their own. The language is constantly changing, with old phrases becoming obsolete and new phrases frequently entering everyday usage, reflecting changes in their culture and also maintaining exclusivity. The dynamic nature of the language refuses to cement itself in single culture and allows for more freedom in expression among its speakers. Words and phrases can be created out of reaction to popular trends and create alternatives to a strictly defined lifestyle. By these characteristics, swardspeak creates a dissident group without any ties to geographical, linguistic, or cultural restrictions, allowing its speakers to shape the language as appropriate to the times. In this way, the language is "mobile", and is simultaneously part of a larger community but also open to more specific or local meanings."

Gay men in the Philippines, especially those who are out, speak to each other using a colorful language that they invented, mixing English, Tagalog, Visayan, and sometimes even Japanese. Those who would hear (or read) Filipino gay slang for the first time feel like they are deciphering a Da Vinci Code.

Just like any slang, Filipino gay lingo started out with replacing certain words with another term. For example, we say "award" instead of "embarrassed." They say "bet" instead of "boy crush." Eventually, gays learn to speak with a colorful vocabulary, using certain key rules:

The J Law - Replacing the first letter of a word with "J."Example:Jowa - Asawa (husband, boyfriend)Jonta - Punta (to go to a place)Jubis - Obese

The KY/ NY Law - Replacing the first letter with "Ky" or "Ny."Example:Kyota - Bata (Children)Nyorts - A pair of shorts

The Name Game - Replacing a word with a name (usually that of a celebrity) that sounds like it.Example:Julie Yap-Daza - Huli (to get caught)Gelli de Belen - JealousCarmi Martin - KarmaTom Jones - Tomguts or gutom (hungry)

Plus - Adding an extra syllable, extra letters, or extra words to create a different word.Example:Crayola - CryThunder Cats - Tanda (an old person; the slang is often called to an old gay man)Pagoda Cold Wave Lotion - Pagod (tired)

The use of gay lingo was first used to avoid having other people hear what you are talking about, especially when it comes to sex. This is also a means of defying the cultural norms and creating an identity of their own.

Gay speak evolves really fast, with obsolete words and phrases being rewritten and replaced especially when non-gays learn what it means. Saying "Ano'ng happening" (What are your plans for tonight) would make you associated with the 1980s.

This language defines the Philippine gay culture, and it would probably stay that way for quite a while.

Children's songs turned into gay lingo... funny! Well this is just a gag so i doubt gay uses these songs... but still funny! enjoy!

Song Title: Bubuka Ang Bulaklak ~ Group of kids forming a circle that opens and close like a flower, then one person (the "queen") would go in the circle would dance to the tune of boom tiyaya

Translation:"The gays are very hungry so they went to the mall to eat. First they went to the food court, but there's a lot of people. Then they went to Starbucks but most of them can't afford the price. Kimberly said that coffee is expensive, that's why she'll just drink Nescafe at home. Georgette is not present, the prettiest of all gay. She was too hungry and was very impatient that's why she called her maid. "Yaya, bring the food here" says the gay."kufez ---> to have a sexual activitytralala---> thrillnowitzki-----> noise, irritable sound